Nasir el-Rufai, governor of Kaduna state, says it is
incorrect to say the execution process of the economic and recovery
growth plan (ERGP) does not truly reflect the needs of
Nigerians.
He said this in response to a statement made by Bill Gates at
the expanded national economic council presided over by
Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo.
“The Nigerian government’s economic recovery and growth plan
identify investing in our people as one of three strategic
objectives. But the execution priorities don’t fully reflect
people’s needs, prioritising physical capital over human capital,”
Gates had said.
He said this priority would lead to a “sharp limit on how much
the country can grow”.
Reacting to Gates’ comment, el-Rufai, who was among the
governors at the meeting where Gates spoke, said the ERGP has
enough provision for human capital.
He said what is needed is not an adjustment of the ERGP but for
state governments to adopt similar plans.
“On the review of ERGP as suggested by Gates, it is not correct
to say that the economic recovery and growth plan does not give
primacy to human capital, it is not correct,” el-Rufai said.
“The economic recovery and growth plan has enough provision for
human capital, it is a federal government plan, what is needed is
for states to have similar plans as well as adequate provisions for
healthcare and education.
“Because the bulk of the burden for healthcare and education
really rests on states governments. The disease burden of the
country is largely at the primary healthcare level and this primary
healthcare system is broken completely, we need to rebuild it.
“It is the responsibility of the states rather than the federal
government. The federal government incentifies with funding, grants
and aids. But essentially, routine immunization, primary
healthcare, is the responsibility of the states.
“So it is not gaps in the ERGP that we are looking at, it is
appealing to states governments to provide more money in basic
education, primary healthcare. It is not the ERGP that needs
adjustments, it is the budgeting that needs to be ramped up in
these two key areas because these are where the problems are.
“If a child losses equality education, he is done for life. If a
child doesn’t get quality healthcare in the first two years, he is
destroyed for life. This is the message that we invest more at
the lower level, so that we prevent this disaster from
happening.”
The ERGP is a medium-term document launched by President
Muhammadu Buhari administration in 2017 to restore the nation’s
economic status after it was hit by its worst recession in 29
years.
Nasir el-Rufai, governor of Kaduna state, says it is
incorrect to say the execution process of the economic and recovery
growth plan (ERGP) does not truly reflect the needs of
Nigerians.
He said this in response to a statement made by Bill Gates at
the expanded national economic council presided over by
Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo.
“The Nigerian government’s economic recovery and growth plan
identify investing in our people as one of three strategic
objectives. But the execution priorities don’t fully reflect
people’s needs, prioritising physical capital over human capital,”
Gates had said.
He said this priority would lead to a “sharp limit on how much
the country can grow”.
Reacting to Gates’ comment, el-Rufai, who was among the
governors at the meeting where Gates spoke, said the ERGP has
enough provision for human capital.
He said what is needed is not an adjustment of the ERGP but for
state governments to adopt similar plans.
“On the review of ERGP as suggested by Gates, it is not correct
to say that the economic recovery and growth plan does not give
primacy to human capital, it is not correct,” el-Rufai said.
“The economic recovery and growth plan has enough provision for
human capital, it is a federal government plan, what is needed is
for states to have similar plans as well as adequate provisions for
healthcare and education.
“Because the bulk of the burden for healthcare and education
really rests on states governments. The disease burden of the
country is largely at the primary healthcare level and this primary
healthcare system is broken completely, we need to rebuild it.
“It is the responsibility of the states rather than the federal
government. The federal government incentifies with funding, grants
and aids. But essentially, routine immunization, primary
healthcare, is the responsibility of the states.
“So it is not gaps in the ERGP that we are looking at, it is
appealing to states governments to provide more money in basic
education, primary healthcare. It is not the ERGP that needs
adjustments, it is the budgeting that needs to be ramped up in
these two key areas because these are where the problems are.
“If a child losses equality education, he is done for life. If a
child doesn’t get quality healthcare in the first two years, he is
destroyed for life. This is the message that we invest more at
the lower level, so that we prevent this disaster from
happening.”
The ERGP is a medium-term document launched by President
Muhammadu Buhari administration in 2017 to restore the nation’s
economic status after it was hit by its worst recession in 29
years.
Read more https://nairalaw.com/el-rufai-tackles-bill-gates-says-buharis-plan-reflects-needs-of-nigerians/